The heaviest rainfall (heavy amount of rain in a short amount of time) occurs from moisture rich
convective clouds. The drops from these convective clouds are very large and splash the ground like
water balloons falling from the sky. Many of these raindrops are drops from
hailstones that have
melted before reaching the surface. If
heavy rain is converged together by winds as it falls the
rain intensity can be darn right outrageous. Rates of several inches per hour are not uncommon when
a slow moving moisture bloated downdraft bombards a location. These events can be amazing to watch. The
drops are so inflatedly big and numerous that the noise outside can be deafening.
Wind gusts will arrange the
drops into curtains and sheets as they fall. Someone standing in the rain can get soaked from head
to toe in a matter of seconds. Below are several terms used to describe these powerful rain storms: